The present invention relates to a connection element for connecting two components of a partition wall, comprising two clamping flanges interconnected via a connection stay. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of such a connection element for connecting a partition element of a partition wall to a column, or for interconnecting two partition elements of a partition wall.
There is a vast range of different partition walls which are made up by joining prefabricated components (partition elements and if applicable, columns). This large number of different systems primarily reflects the fact that such partition walls are designed for use in a host of different applications. One typical area of application is the subdivision of open plan offices into individual zones, either open areas or closed cells, for example conference rooms. Such partition walls are also used for shielding individual workplaces, for example from view and/or from undesired light incidence. Furthermore, the use of such partition walls is widespread in the area of exhibitions and trade fairs.
Interconnection of the individual components of the partition wall can be in various ways. Known are in particular connections by means of Velcro material (e.g. CH-632034-A5, FR-2570408-A1, DE-4207644-A1), by means of magnetic forces (e.g. DE-9218938-U1, EP-087723-A2, EP-0178504-A1), by means of hooks provided on the partition elements (e.g. DE-7222826-U1) or by means of mechanical connection elements of the type mentioned in the introduction. In the context of interconnecting partition wall components of the type last mentioned, in particular U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,232,724, 4,777,777, FR-2479306-A1, GB-2051916-A and WO-95/28532 form a relevant state of the art. However, all these documents only relate to interconnection of two partition elements by means of the connection elements stated in the introduction. In contrast, there are no provisions for connecting partition elements to columns.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,539 too describes the use of connection elements of the type mentioned in the introduction for connecting two components of a partition wall. The respective connection element comprises two prismatic clamping flanges of triangular cross section; it can be used both for rigidly interconnecting two aligned partition elements and for rigidly connecting a partition element to a column.
It is the object of the present invention to achieve increased flexibility in the design and application options of partition walls where the individual components are interconnected by using the connection elements stated in the introduction, while using identical parts as far as possible. This last criterion is important against the background of keeping production costs and inventory holding costs as low as possible.
According to the present invention, this object is met in that the connection element is asymmetrical; in that the cross section of the two clamping flanges is different, with the contour of a first clamping flange being out-of-round at least in some areas, and with the contour of the other, second clamping flange being round at least in some areas. The connection element being used within the scope of the present invention thus is of asymmetrical construction such that the cross section of the two connection flanges differs. The contour of one of the two clamping flanges is round at least in some areas. This is essential for pivotability of this clamping flange (which for the sake of simplicity is hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9croundxe2x80x9d) in a corresponding groove of a partition wall component which accommodates said clamping flange. The contour of the other clamping flange is out-of-round at least in some areas. This is again essential for non-pivotable torsionally resistant accommodation of this clamping flange (which for the sake of simplicity is hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cout-of-roundxe2x80x9d) in a corresponding groove of a second partition wall component which is to be connected to the first partition wall component, using the connection element according to the invention.
For clarification it must be pointed out that the transition region between each of the clamping flanges and the connection stay can neither be regarded as being xe2x80x9croundxe2x80x9d nor xe2x80x9cout-of-roundxe2x80x9d in the sense of the present invention. When determining the cross-sectional shape of the clamping flanges, this transition region is not taken into account.
As is shown in the following explanations concerning the present invention, the construction of the connection element according to the invention, as explained above, is of central importance for the ability of said connection element to be used in the same way for interconnecting two partition elements and for interconnecting a partition element to a column which is in particular provided in the region of a corner connection. It is above all in the context of this partition element-to-column connection where the invention distinguishes itself by a hitherto unknown degree of flexibility in regard to the design of the partition wall. When the connection element according to the invention is used for connecting a partition element of a partition wall to a column, the out-of-round clamping flange of the connection element is accommodated in a groove of the column so as to be positive-locking and torsionally resistant. By contrast, the round clamping flange of the connection element is accommodated so as to be pivotable on its longitudinal axis, within a specified angular range, in a groove of a connection profile provided on the margin-side of the partition element.
Positive-locking torsionally resistant accommodation of the out-of-round clamping flange of the connection element in a groove of the column results in positive fastening of the connection element to the column in a specified defined position. By contrast, accommodation of the round clamping flange of the connection element in a groove of a connection profile of the partition element, said clamping flange being pivotable along its longitudinal axis within a specified angular range, results in infinitely variable positions, within said angular range, of the partition element in relation to the column. In this context it is significant that for connecting a partition element to a column, only one connection element, if necessary comprising several segments arranged axially in a row, is provided to enable pivotability of the partition element on the axis of the round clamping flange of the connection element. Because the out-of-round clamping flange is accommodated in a groove of the column so as to be positive-locking and torsionally resistant, so that as previously explained, the position of the connection element to the column is clearly determined, the groove aperture in the region of the surface of the column can be particularly narrow. The inside clearance of the aperture of the groove needs to be only slightly larger than the thickness of the connection stay of the connection element. This is significant in particular in the context of the visual appearance of the column, for in this way, even if there is a substantial number of grooves arranged so as to be spaced around the circumference, it maintains a columnar character with a relatively closed surface.
The groove of the connection profile of the partition element explained above is configured such that within a specified angular area said groove is not only pivotable on the longitudinal axis of said angular area and able to accommodate the round clamping flange of the connection element, but it is also suitable for non-pivotable positive-locking torsionally resistant accommodation of the out-of-round clamping flange of the connection element. This double function of the groove is of significant importance with a view to the use of a connection element according to the invention for interconnecting two partition elements of the same type. Accommodating the out-of-round clamping flange of the connection element in a positive-locking and torsionally resistant way in the groove of the connection profile of the one partition element, precludes the possibility of two partition elements directly interlinked, being laterally offset in relation to each other. Furthermore, by using suitable additional means (e.g. end stops), angular offset can be prevented so that two partition elements directly interlinked using the connection element according to the invention, are aligned precisely in relation to each other, without the use of any further equipment.
The present invention thus makes it possible to use one and the same connection element for connecting a partition element of a partition wall both to an identically constructed further partition element and to a column. In the connection between partition element and partition element, the two linked partition elements can assume in particular a fixed specified position where they are mutually aligned, while the connection between partition element and column includes a considerable measure of design freedom in that the position of the partition element in relation to the column, within a specified angular range, is infinitely variable in its adjustment. Thus a single type each of the partition element and of the connection element is sufficient to build a wide range of differently constructed partition walls.
Within the scope of the present invention the clamping flange, which for the sake of simplicity is referred to as xe2x80x9cout-of-roundxe2x80x9d, whose contour is out of round at least in some areas, can also be curved in some areas. Thus within the scope of the present invention, for example a clamping flange of cylindrical basic shape with a protruding rib which for torsionally resistant accommodation of said clamping in a groove of the connection profile of the partition element or of a column, engages a corresponding recess of the respective groove. Conversely, the clamping flange, which for the sake of simplicity is referred to as xe2x80x9croundxe2x80x9d, whose contour is round at least in some areas, can be flattened or comprise a rib as far as this does not impede the pivotability, within the specified angular range, of this clamping flange, on its longitudinal axis in a groove of the connection profile of the partition element.
A first preferred development of the invention is characterised in that the cross section of the first out-of-round clamping flange of the connection element is polygonal. It is particularly preferred if the basic shape of the first out-of-round clamping flange is rectangular, whereby the corners can be at least partly bevelled. This results in a hammer-shaped design of the out-of-round clamping flange.
According to another development of the invention, the second round clamping flange comprises a slot. In a particularly preferred embodiment it comprises a cylindrical space delimited by two sprung cheeks. The slot or the cylindrical space of the round clamping flange accommodates an expansion element. With this expansion element the round clamping flange can be expanded to provide firm contact with the interior wall of the respective groove of the connection profile of the associated partition element, so as to fasten in a non-positive way, the connection element and the partition element in the desired mutual position. The expansion element can in particular be designed as a rotatable eccentric disk. It is particularly useful if the rotatability of the eccentric disk is delimited by two end stops, with one of the end stops defining the position of minimal expansion of the respective clamping flange, and the other end stop defining the position of maximum expansion.
A particularly preferred development of the connection element according to the invention, whose round clamping flange comprises a slot, is characterised in that the clearance of the slot is at least as large as the difference between the diameter of the round clamping flange and the inside clearance of the aperture of the groove of the connection profile of the partition element. With such dimensioning of the round clamping flange of the connection element on the one hand, and the groove of the connection profile of the partition element on the other hand, the round clamping flange can be compressed such that it can be inserted into the groove through the lateral aperture of said groove. In this way, during construction of the partition wall, axial insertion of the connection element by its round clamping flange, into the respective groove of the connection profile of the partition element, can be avoided. The latter can be clipped laterally onto the round clamping flange of the connection element which by its out-of-round clamping flange has been inserted in a groove of a further partition element or a column. This is of particular advantage with a view to the subsequent redesign of an already existing partition wall; for in this way, an existing partition wall can be expanded as desired by further partition elements without first having to remove or dismantle further partition elements. Only when the partition element has been clipped onto the round clamping flange of the connection element, is the expansion element inserted into the round clamping flange so as to expand it, to prevent lateral pulling-off of the partition element from the connection element and if necessary, in addition, to ensure fixing the angle set between the partition element and the connection element.
The column which is insertable within the scope of the present invention preferably comprises a multitude of matching grooves which are arranged around the circumference of the column at a spacing of 45xc2x0. In this case it is particularly preferred if the specified angular range within which the round clamping flange is pivotable on its longitudinal axis, in a groove of the connection profile of the partition element, is xc2x115xc2x0. In this case, each of the basic positions of two partition elements connected to a particular column (90xc2x0, 135xc2x0, 180xc2x0) can be increased or decreased by a total of 30xc2x0 as a result of the free play of xc2x115xc2x0 present at both partition elements. This means that the two partition elements connected to the column in this case can be arranged at any desired angle in relation to each other. Certain angular positions (e.g. 120xc2x0) can even be achieved in two ways, namely by increasing the 90xc2x0 base position by twice 15xc2x0 or by reducing the 135xc2x0 base position for example by 15xc2x0 once.
Another development of the invention is characterised in that the exterior surface of the column on both sides of the aperture of each groove comprises outward projecting ribs. These ribs stop light entering between the column and the connection profile of the partition element if, as is the case in a preferred development of the invention, it is not an uninterrupted connection element that is provided for connecting the partition element to the column, but instead, a connection element which is divided into several segments arranged at axial spacing in relation to each other.
Another preferred development of the invention is characterised in that on its side facing the column, the connection profile comprises concave contact surfaces. The curvature of the contact surfaces essentially corresponds to the curvature of the surface of the column between two grooves. The specified angular range within which the partition element is pivotable on the longitudinal axis of the round clamping flange, is limited by one of the two contact surfaces resting against the surface of the column. Such area contact prevents damage to the column and/or to the connection profile.
Insofar as the column on its outer surface comprises outward projecting ribs (see above) on both sides of the apertures of the grooves, then the connection profile in the transition region between the groove and the contact surfaces, too, comprises corresponding recesses for the ribs. If the partition element is pivoted to one of its end stop positions, then one of the ribs of the column enters the corresponding recess of the connection profile of the partition element.
As mentioned above, in view of flexibility in the design of the partition element it is significant that connection of a partition element with a column via only one connection element (if necessary comprising several segments) takes place. Interconnection of two partition elements is also achieved correspondingly via only one connection element (if necessary comprising several segments). In this way the connection element can be arranged in the region of the centre axis of the interconnected partition elements. This in turn makes it possible that according to a preferred development of the invention, the dimension of the connection profiles of the partition elements transversely to the centre axis is significantly shorter than the thickness of the partition bodies of the partition elements. In this way a concealed joint is created in the region of the interconnection of two partition elements. If required, said concealed joint, provided with a cover, can be used as a cable duct.
According to another preferred development of the invention, the connection profile of the partition element comprises two laterally arranged cross-shaped grooves. In particular perforated rails which are used to attach accessories to the respective partition element, can be inserted into said cross-shaped grooves. Correspondingly, the grooves of the column can comprise additional recesses into which further perforated rails can be inserted. In this way accessories can also be attached to the column.
Finally, according to a development of the invention it can be provided for the connection profile to comprise an axial multi-purpose drill hole. It can in particular at the lower edge of the partition wall be used to attach a foot. Furthermore, such a multi-purpose drill hole can be used to accommodate a connection bolt which interconnects two partition elements, one arranged on top of the other.